Mercedes F600 Hygenius Concept

The Mercedes Benz F600 Hygenius Concept is a research vehicle by Mercedes Benz powered by a forced inducted fuel cell hybrid powertrain. With fuel cell technology employed, emissions is zero and consumes the equivalent of 2.9 litres per 100km.

Mercedes calls the air compressor an electric turbocharger, though I don’t know why. Don’t ask me why LOL! There are no exhaust gasses to spin up this turbine. Oh well, up to them! The fuel cell powertrain makes a constant 82hp and 250Nm of torque. Combined with the hybrid electric motor integrated into the rear axle powered by lithium-ion batteries, the total power output for the F600 Hygenius Concept is 115hp and 350Nm torque. On low speeds such as parking and traffic jams, the car runs on the electric motor alone, relying on the fuel cell drive only during acceleration. The electric motor works as a generator when run in reverse, charging the lithium ion battery pack during braking. Top speed is approximately 170km/h.

Mercedes Benz has also enabled the F600 Hygenius Concept to act as a mobile power source. Several houses can be hooked up to the electric motor so provide electricity during a blackout. This redefines the meaning of ‘multi purpose vehicle!’ :D There is a power socket at the tailgate of the vehicle so you can hook normal electrical devices up to it. Imaging bringing this vehicle to go for a a trip in the outdoors. You could hook up your electric steamboat or BBQ grill to it.

The seats can be turned around 180 degrees on it’s axis. This is useful when you want to bring a child around in the front passanger seat. You can just turn it around and face the chair backwards. The backrest cushion also has electric motors in them. These motors can bend the cushion into shape to fit your body’s contour.

The tailgate also has a nifty feature. When you open it, the lower half of the tailgate folds inwards, while the upper area swings upwards to open the tailgate. This allows the tailgate to swing open in a much tighter spot than it normally could if it had to swing upwards at full length. The doors also employ this space saving concept, though differently. It swings outwards and upwards as well, held up by gas absorbers.

All of the lights on this car are powered by LEDs. The headlamps are powered by triple projector LEDs. Signal lamps and brake lamps are also powered by LEDs. LEDs take up less power and generate less heat. Ideal for a hybrid fuelcell car.

There are also video cameras mounted on the wing mirrors to help you when you want to change lanes. Footage from these cameras are projected onto the windscreen at a point 1.4 meters in front of the car. This is to reduce driver eye strain. Your eyes can get pretty tired if you keep having to refocus your eyes from the traffic ahead to the side mirrors.

Ever heard of some unobservant driver opening the car door without looking? A car coming from behind could knock the door off if you open it without checking. The wing mirror video camera detects if there are any incoming objects and temporarily disables the doors from being opened until the object has passed. No more knocked off doors!

Mercedes Benz intends to bring fuel cell technology to the mainstream between 2010 and 2015. That’s a decade from now, somewhere in my lifetime! Which brings me to think of the people purchasing Proton Wajas in Malaysia with 9-year hire purchase loans. By the time they finish paying off the loan, their cars would be severely outdated!

Looking to sell your car? Sell it with Carro.

Certified Pre-Owned - 1 Year Warranty

10% discount when you renew your car insurance

Compare prices between different insurer providers and use the promo code 'PAULTAN10' when you make your payment to save the most on your car insurance renewal compared to other competing services.

Car Insurance

Paul Tan

After dabbling for years in the IT industry, Paul Tan initially began this site as a general blog covering various topics of personal interest. With an increasing number of readers paying rapt attention to the motoring stories, one thing led to another and the rest, as they say, is history.

 

Comments

  • Mark Vincent on Oct 24, 2005 at 1:28 am

    wow !! simply amazing…even the design is cool

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Aris Tee on Oct 24, 2005 at 1:30 am

    whoa… that's so ultra futuristic… i hope they can speed up the process… it's good to be clean and fuel-efficient ;-)

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • wow!

    nice looking and fuel efficient car.

    if this car ever come out to production surely i'll buy it.

    if i had the money then

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Nonstop on Oct 24, 2005 at 2:19 am

    This car is just concept!!

    boring y all cool car only concept,

    if have real 1 then we can c it on the road cuz the rich fellor will buy

    hahahaha cuz lookin cool mah

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • This is the best looking fuel cell car. Great design!! This is awesome!!

    The Best fuel cell car design goes to…….. Merc F600!

    It makes the Honda's fuel cell one looks like shit.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • DOG THE WAN on Oct 24, 2005 at 2:22 am

    Fuel cell cars I am loving it!!!

    Can't wait until 2010!! POTONG what can you sell to us!! Work harder or work together with Merz now!!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • E-nabill on Oct 24, 2005 at 3:41 am

    i bet not even 50% of the car wil make it to production..i tink it wil look as dull as the a-class in the final version….

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • yhtan on Oct 24, 2005 at 3:55 am

    Aiz….all concept car,

    but this car fuel consumption is very low,design looks good

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • SEE FU on Oct 24, 2005 at 4:29 am

    Fuel…cells…….Yeah!! awesome!

    YAU MO KAU…..CHOU!!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • eRis-Aeir4s on Oct 24, 2005 at 5:07 am

    Simply a Genius.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • daniel on Oct 24, 2005 at 5:09 am

    just one comment = 2.9 litres per 100km? damn that's very save cost..

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Andrew Jones on Oct 24, 2005 at 5:11 am

    well at least korea will have the hydrogen infastructure to handle this car by then..

    peace,

    A

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Ihateproton on Oct 24, 2005 at 5:54 am

    Paul,

    Update: the waja is ALREADY outdated

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Dando on Oct 24, 2005 at 6:27 am

    looks great now… but i think by 2015…this kind of design will be a bit outdated…. and i think by that time…. all other car makers will be having their own hybrid/fuelcell car…so there will be no hoo haa about it…. enjoy it for now.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • the side window screen are too big…err..i mean too low…can't have any privacy…if u know what i meant…hahaha…cheers. but overall I like the design.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • 2.9 L per 100km, wtf. i want one!

    /but fuel $$$ will be offset by car price, lol

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • paul, isn't 'electric turbocharger' is actually a supercharger? i.e. instead of using the exhaust to spin the turbine, it uses it's own power unit (electric) to do so so there's no lag. I also thought this is what merc refers to the KOMPRESSOR? i could be wrong.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • burn: Yes, exactly. Don't care lah, up to them whatever they want to call it.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Joshua on Oct 24, 2005 at 7:54 pm

    wahlau, love everything about except the the way the doors open. hehehehehe.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • ex-mivec on Oct 24, 2005 at 9:57 pm

    MANTAP!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Great Wall Of China on Oct 25, 2005 at 12:22 am

    Best car i ever seen…

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • karem on Oct 25, 2005 at 5:10 am

    seeing the design took much of forfour base….

    awkwardly cool and very useful to virtually everybody.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • xprezzy on Oct 25, 2005 at 4:39 pm

    this is what i call a concept car….. bravo merc…..

    evrithing looks great and the design looks like and F1 car…… really great car….and the fuel consumption is very economical!!!! although that type of fule is really hard to get at this time but u thing next 2,3 years people can get it just like the petrol station……

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • It can explode easily.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
 

Add a comment

required

required